Call it Milwaukee's version of Storage Wars. But instead of hidden treasure, this reality show involved a televised clash between two well-known City Hall antagonists over an otherwise low-key development proposal.

It started when Cris and Orphie Schroeder asked the Common Council to rezone a former Coca-Cola bottling plant at 2727 W. Silver Spring Drive.

That would allow the Schroeders, who operate Humboldt Storage LLC in Riverwest, to demolish the 232,200-square-foot industrial building and develop self-storage lockers on the back half of the 12-acre site, with retail eventually built along Silver Spring Drive.

But the Plan Commission took the unusual step of recommending against the rezoning proposal on a 4-3 vote. Commission members said they were concerned about the lack of a neighborhood meeting about the development, as well as having little information about the future retail phase's design.

That led to Thursday's confrontation at the council's Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee meeting between Development Commissioner Rocky Marcoux and Ald. Bob Bauman. While Bauman and other committee members recommended approval, that came after a long — and sometimes angry — discussion over how much control the city should have over the site's development.

"I didn't come here to throw down the gauntlet," Marcoux told committee members. "I came to defend my staff, who made a decision that we felt was pro-development."

Bauman said he and other committee members are pro-development, but also said department officials were willing to accept "any old thing" in lower-income neighborhoods.

"You wouldn't do that downtown," Bauman said.

The Schroeders have agreed to buy the property from a Chicago-based investment group affiliated with The Private Bank and Trust Co. The bank group acquired it in 2011 through foreclosure proceedings from a group led by Milwaukee developer Doug Weas, according to state real estate records.

The bottling plant closed over 20 years ago, and previous plans to tear down the building and develop a supermarket fell through.

Cris Schroeder told committee members he wants to first develop self-storage units to get some cash flowing, which would then help finance the retail buildings.

Vanessa Koster, the city's planning manager, said the retail design was "very conceptual," and that a more detailed design would require additional landscaping and different setbacks from Silver Spring Drive.

But the rezoning proposal, recommended by Koster's Department of City Development, would allow the Schroeders to develop retail buildings without having additional Common Council approval over the design, building materials and other details.

Instead, the Schroeders would need additional approval from the city Board of Zoning Appeals, but only for certain types of retail buildings, such as those that use drive-through windows, Koster said. That drew concerns from Kovac, Bauman and Ald. Jim Bohl, committee chair.

Ald. Ashanti Hamilton, whose district includes the site, told committee members that he surveyed nearby residents about the project, and they indicated support.

Hamilton also said he was comfortable with the Schroeders' plans for the site, and allowing the zoning board — not the Common Council — to oversee plans for the future retail phase.

Cris Schroeder added that he had already spent a substantial amount on the proposed development and is facing an Aug. 1 deadline to complete the property's purchase.

"The clock's ticking on this deal," he said.

Bauman, however, said the Plan Commission's action "sends up a really big red flag."

He questioned why development department officials didn't recommend the Schroeders pursue a detailed plan development for the site instead of a rezoning. A detailed plan development would give the Common Council more control over the future retail design.

The department's "so-called experts" should have advised the Schroeders that "there could be pushback" from zoning committee members on the rezoning request, Bauman said.

Koster said she didn't suggest a detailed plan development because the Schroeders have only conceptual plans for the site's retail portion. The suggestion to pursue rezoning the site was designed to be "developer friendly," she said.

Marcoux then entered the committee room to defend Koster and make the case for the rezoning. He said the issue illustrated the balance between having "absolute control" over the site vs. the need for development.

He also noted that committee meetings are televised, and a vote to delay the project would send the wrong message to other developers.

Bauman responded, saying the development department wasn't doing its job. He said department officials, by not properly preparing developers for the committee, were leading them "down the chute to the slaughterhouse."

But Bauman and the four other committee members — including Ald. Jose Perez and Ald. Willie Wade — all voted to approve the rezoning, which the full council is to consider Tuesday.

"I'm not going to hold this department's failings against this developer," Bauman said.

After the meeting, the Schroeders shook hands with Hamilton and Marcoux, and hugged them.

"I didn't think it would take that long," Cris Schroeder said about the committee discussion. "But at least they got on board."